The name Alex Murdaugh has been heard on every news channel, it seems, for an eternity. Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty in the double homicide of his wife, Margaret, and son, Paul Murdaugh, and the media has been covering every second of the widely-televised trial. The craziness doesn’t stop there, however. What many do not know is that in six years, the family was tied to at least 6 deaths in South Carolina.

People watching from home have not been following the case for long enough to understand the semantics of the trial, and that’s when Netflix stepped in, creating a three-episode docuseries detailing the events leading up to the case on everyone’s television screens today. A new perspective on the lawyer-legacy Murdaugh family of South Carolina has shone through in this overview of the case, covering the ups and downs, the plot twists, and massive cover-ups that have conspired in the Murdaughs’ home of Hampton County.

“The Murdaugh Trial’s handling in mainstream media has featured… Alex Murdaugh in the spotlight. I think it would be interesting to see a new perspective of the case from the eyes of the murderer himself to fully understand Murdaugh’s motives in killing his family. I also think it’s important to push his perspective onto large user-based platforms like Netflix and other streaming services,” sophomore Ashley Dong said.

The first episode sets the scene with the death of Mallory Beach, a friend of Paul Murdaugh, and the massive cover-ups by the Murdaugh family to protect Paul in their own self-interest. The episode details Paul’s unfortunate drinking habits, and how a boating accident could initiate a series of events that would uncover corruption of local law enforcement and connect the Murdaughs to murders from even years before the crash.

The docuseries utilizes dramatic effects and unsettling music to leave the viewer on the edge of their seat as more is uncovered about the case. From family and friends betraying one another to the Murdaughs murdering those closest to them, this series is disturbing, yet thrilling as the viewer is engaged with the chronology of events.

“This documentary was absolutely one of a kind. It provided crucial background information and insight for the Murdaugh case and gave a great look into the televised trial, which was itself fascinating. Seeing the behind the scenes in a well-produced and executed documentary form was nothing short of mesmerizing and superbly informative,” sophomore Isaac Xu said.

The second episode teases the viewer with clues about the intention involved in the death of the Murdaugh’s housekeeper as Alex Murdaugh’s alibi and story falters. As Murdaugh attempts to cover-up the murder of a potential love interest of his son, Buster, it is uncovered that an opioid addiction has led the father of the Murdaugh household to do unspeakable things to cover his tracks: even murder his own wife and son.

“This is such a horrifying story…It’s mind-boggling [to think] that things like this happen all the time and we never hear about [them]. It’s good to see these victims getting the justice they deserve, rather than just being thrown to the wayside…It’s a must-watch,” sophomore Logan Ye said.

The third and final episode of the docuseries ties everything together, from bringing Alex Murdaugh to trial to connecting the dots of the misconstrued evidence using forensics to bolster evidence against the Murdaughs. As Alex Murdaugh’s world collapses around him, he is unable to turn to substance abuse or embezzlement to escape his situation. To find out how this rollercoaster ends, watch the show on Netflix!